


I think there's a flaw in my code

by cutebutpsyco



Series: Writer’s month 2019 [2]
Category: Inhumans (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sort Of Fluff, What-If, but still it's fluff, fluff undertones, like Crystal is tecnically kidnapped soooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 16:56:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20085613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutebutpsyco/pseuds/cutebutpsyco
Summary: MCU RAREPAIRS BINGO. FILL: FAMILY ||There was a part of the princess who knew the words she said dropped salt on fresh wounds in the man, but she couldn’t deny that it had been her intent, to hurt him, to remind him it was just the luck of his birth that saved him from an adverse destiny. It was what her parents fought against, what her parents died for. And yet it was easy to forget. Until Maximus reminded her.





	I think there's a flaw in my code

**Author's Note:**

> I finally, FINALLY, managed to write something for this pair! You can't understand how happy I am because it's since I first watched Inhumans (I love this show so bad) that I tried to. Today, on my third rewatch or something, I decided that it was about time, so have some Crystal x Maximus pseudo-fluff. 
> 
> So, tagged as Ambiguous Ending and Ambiguous Relationship because Maximus really has a way with words and when Crystal doubts this might be his power it means that she thinks there's something wrong with it but, at the same time, she's not quite sure so that's the reason of the tags. (Also, the fact that Maximus could be a pro in manipulating others, in my opinion, is like, at least 20% from Terregenesis - or better, it helped him to improve this dote of his, and I decided to use this headcanon). 
> 
> Written for day 2 of writer's month on tumblr, prompt is hurt/comfort.
> 
> Nothing belongs to me, not betad and the title is from Gasoline by Halsey.

“It’s me, again,” Crystal didn’t expect for Maximus to show up in her apartments so early after their discussion, and still there he was. She shook her head, neglecting the book she was reading the moment she saw the door swinging open and revealing the frame of the new king of Attalan. She could see, in the depths of his icy blue eyes the broken expression that he wore every time he stood in front of the people, during the Terregenisis celebration.

There was a part of the princess who knew the words she said dropped salt on fresh wounds in the man, but she couldn’t deny that it had been her intent, to hurt him, to remind him it was just the luck of his birth that saved him from an adverse destiny. It was what her parents fought against, what her parents died for. And yet it was easy to forget. Until Maximus reminded her. 

Crystal was young, too young back in the days. And Blackbolt had been the person who took her in. He was the person who turned her and her sister into royalty even if everyone would have exiled them. She knew she was supposed to be grateful to the man, and she was, but her entire life tasted like a betrayal. She stilled, her eyes fixed on the man’s face. She should have tensed because, a moment later, Maximus’s voice softened. “I just want to speak.”

“Where’s Lockjaw?” She asked, instead. It was the only thing she wanted to know, especially after having spoken with Medusa. They were safe, which meant that the only person she cared about who Maximus could hurt was himself. She knew the man wouldn’t ever hurt her dog, but she had to ask. 

“He’s safe, nobody’s gonna hurt you.” 

“Nobody but you,” She retorted, letting the window that led to the balcony open and walking outside. From there, she could see the city under the royal palace. It wasn’t perfect, she knew that, and Maximus could have been right. But the princess didn’t want to think about that.  
She studied the man’s expression and she noticed how his smile crumbled after her words. It was wrong, she shouldn’t feel sorry for making him sad. And he shouldn’t let his enemy’s words to root inside his mind. And yet they both were. 

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He said, and he sounded sincere. 

“But you will if I don’t do what you told me.” It wasn’t a question. Maximus hand fell against hers. It was a soft touch, softer than any other she had experienced in her entire life, even coming from the same man. “I don’t despise you.”

“I know,” Maximus answered, letting Crystal turn her hand in his grip so that their fingers were enlaced. “But what you said is true: I’m nothing more than a human.” 

There was a softness she never heard and, while Crystal knew he was good with words and with messing with people, she could tell he wasn’t lying. Maximus played with the others and had a way with words which wasn’t common, maybe that was the gift the Terregenesis gave to him and nobody noticed, and still, she could understand when he wasn’t lying. It was something in his expression, something that, probably, only she noticed. “I’m sorry.”

She had no idea what she was asking forgiveness for. Maybe because she got two gifts and some people didn’t get to have not even one, maybe because she sided with Medusa over and over again during the years, maybe because she didn’t want to listen to him, she trusted someone that still treated her like a child. Crystal didn’t know what she was sorry about, but she was.  
What she knew for sure was that she wasn’t longer sure that she was going to refuse his proposal. 

“You are a pretty thing, always apologizing for your sister’s mistakes,” He interrupted her train of thought. “Side with me, Crystal, and you won’t ever have to be sorry.”

It was like being under a spell, something that she willingly cast over herself when she leaned closer, her shoulder bumping against Maximus’s. He smiled, like a reflex, something he couldn’t control, and she had never seen a brighter smile on his face before. And then he was kissing her, Crystal’s hand taking a handful of Maximus’s jacket while trying to pull him closer. They pushed back after a while, almost in sync. 

“Your parents would be so proud of you,” Maximus whispered. 

“But not my sister,” It sounded almost definitive, telling it loud, admitting that she made her choice. It was possibly the first one she took without someone trying to force her. It felt like freedom itself. “She is still Blsckbolt’s queen.”

“I don’t want to take his power forever. If one day he’ll be back on the Moon, he can still rule over the people who will decide to stay back. But we must give the Inhumans a choice.”

Crystal nodded, almost feeling electricity running through her body the moment she let go on Maximus’s hand. He smiled, softly, leaning for another kiss and whatever doubt she could have on his words flew away rapidly, just like the lingering sadness in the depths of the king’s eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments give me life. 
> 
> **find my entire bing card on [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/729823) and on [dreamwidth](https://myrcellabaratheon.dreamwidth.org/17312.html).**


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